Legging.



H. H. CUTLER.

LEGGING.

APPLICATION nLED APR.26.1918.

Patented July 23, 1918 @WW/Mm m z' Nonms rufen: mz.4 rnamuma.. wasmwammn, c,

\ arrangement UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

. HENRY H. CUTLER, OF THREE OAKS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE WARRENFEATIIER- BONE C0., OF THREE OAKS, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

LEGGING.

Application led April 26, 1918.

To all 'whom t may concern certain new and useful Improvements inILeggings, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to leggings, particularly to military leggings, andvits general object is to produce a more serviceable and etl'icientconstruction.

More in detail, the object is to provide improved flap stitfeningconstruction and and improved Supporting means for lace receivingattachu'lents, the Construction and arrangement being such that therewill be a saving of material and reduction in weight, and the leggingwill be pliable yet sutticiently stitt'ened to prevent wrinkling,bulging, or buckling thereof.

In the construction of leggings the common practice has been to insertsolid steel still'ening bars in the legging flaps, which bars arepunched out to provide openings for receiving hooks, eyes, or other lacereceiving attachments. Such metal bars add greatly to the weight andcost, and if made light enough to give su'tiicient pliability, areeasily broken. I therefore provide builtup stiti'ening members for theflaps which will give the necessary sti'tl'ening support and pliabilityand to which hooks or eyes can readily be secured. Preferably thesebuilt-up stitl'ening structures comprise an outer frame of wire ofsuitable gage and temper, and a filler strip preferably in the form offeatherbone to which hooks and eyes can be easily secured.

On the accompanying drawing- Figure l is a side elevational view of alessi-ns,

Fig. 9. is an enlarged sectional view on plane 2-2, Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on plane 3-3, Fig. l,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a wire stitl'ening frame, and

Fig. 5 is `a perspective View of a filler strip for the stitfeningframe.

5 represents the body of the legging and 6 and 7 the inner and outerflaps respectively. The outer flap 7 is hemmed along its edge to providethe longitudinal pocket 8 for a stitl'ening structure and on the in-Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1918.

serial No. 230,955.

ner Hap a short distance inwardly from its edge a strip t) is sewed toform a longitudinally extending pocket l() for the still'- eningstructure. My improved stillening structure is clearly shown in Figs. tand A length of wire is bent to forni the elongated frame 1l havingparallel sides and rounded ends, the wire ends being preferably securedtogether as by welding` as indicated at 1Q. The wire frames are ot' awidth to snugly tit the pockets S and l() and are of a length to extendsubstantially from the top to the bottom of the flap pockets. Theseframes, being of wire, are pliable and springy but are snllicientlystilll to keep the legging in shape and to prevent sagging, buckling, orbulging thereof. Vllooks and eyes are usually provided together with alace or cord for tying the flaps together to secure the legging inplace. lVhere these hooks and eyes are. applied merely to the fabricsuch as canvas, the strain thereon will tend to pull them ont or tearthe fabric. I therefore provide a liller for the wire frames, thisliller being in the form of a strip 13 to tit in the wire frames andflexible to assist the frames keeping the legging in shape, and also toserve as a. support for the hooks and eyes. Preferably I employ what .isknown in the trade as featherbone strip, formed by intimately bindingslivers or fibers of turkey quills. Such strip is very light yet veryelastic and strong, and can be readily punched to provide openings lllfor receiving hooks and eyes or other fastening members. The fillerstrips are placed within the wire frames and then the stitl'cningstructures thus formed are slipped into the pockets Stand 10, thepockets being then snugly filled and the fillers held within the frames.These stiti'ening structures are much stronger and more durable thansolid steel stitlener strips and much lighter and cost considerablyless.

The means shown for securing the legging flaps together are hooks andeyes and a lace or cord, the hooks and eyes being applied to extendthrough the holes lil of the filler strips and are then riveted rigidlyin place. As shown, a hook 15 is provided at the lower end of the innerflap to be opposed to the two eyes 16 and 17 near the lower end of theouter flap. Intermediate the legging ends the inner flap has the hook 18and the outer flap the eyes 19 and 20. At the top, the inn respectively.

' per eyes 21,

ner flap'has the eye 21 andthe outer flap the eye 22, an extra eye 23being provided behind Vthe stiffening section. cord 24: is slippedoutwardly through the lowest eye 16 and is anchored as by being knotted.VIt is then slipped inwardly throughv the eye inwardly through the eyes19 and 20 ree speetively, the lace then forming the loops 25 and 26 forreceiving the hooks 15 and 18 The'npper end of the lace is inserted insuitable fashion through theY np- 22 and 28 and after being drawn tightto bring the flaps together, a knot is tied therein. The filler strips13 can of course be of other material which is light,

flexible and strong, but I have found that V ,featherbone is verydesirable and eiiicient. Having described my invention, l claim asfollows: V

1. In a legging, a pocket extending lengthwise thereof, an elongatedelastic wire fraaie fitting in said pocket,aiid a strip of lexiblematerial forming a iiller for said frame.A

2. A stiffening structure or stay for wearing apparel comprising akiiexible elongated wire frame, and a filler strip for said frame ofexible material.V

3. A stilening structure or stay for wear- Copies of this patentmay beobtained for The lace `or 17 and then outwardly andV my naine ingapparel' consisting of a rectangular elongated' wire frame, and a fillerstrip` of featherbone for said'ffraine. l

. 4f. In a legging, thercombination with the flaps thereof, ofk pocketsprovided in said flaps, elongated wire frames inserted in said pockets,flexible ller material within said wire frames, said wire framesVserving' vas,

stiffening `members or stays for the legging, and lace receivingattachments secured to the legging fabric *and to said filler `n'ia-.terial. f l

5. ln a legging, the combination with the flaps, `of pocketsextendingfrom top ,to Vbottoni thereof,stifl'ening or stay structuresinserted in Vsaid pockets, ea'oh.stiilfening'strncture comprising aiiexible wire frame,V for engaging with they sides and ends of` saidpockets and a strip offeatherbone7 within the wire frame, andlacereceiving attach ments secured to the flaps alongthe fea-therbonestrips. A, Y,

G. A stiifening structure or stay for weare ing apparel consisting' ofanelongated rectangular wire frame, and a flexible lilleriof lighterflexible material. In witness whereof, I hereuntosubscribe this 22nd dayof April, A. D. 1918. i

HENRY H. CUTLER.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. i Washington,D. C. f

